Is Korean Food Spicy? What to Order If You Can't Handle Spicy Food
You're planning your first trip to South Korea.
Then you start watching Korean food videos.
Red soup.
Red sauce.
Red rice cakes.
Kimchi everywhere.
And you start wondering: “What am I going to eat in Korea if I can't handle spicy food?”
If you can't handle spicy food, you can still eat extremely well in South Korea.
Start with foods such as bulgogi, galbi, samgyetang, japchae, mandu, gimbap, seolleongtang, gomtang and kalguksu.
The bigger challenge isn't finding non-spicy Korean food. It's knowing which dishes are usually mild and which ones you should ask about before ordering.
Some of Korea's most satisfying dishes are savory, sweet, salty, nutty or broth-based — not chili-hot.
Is All Korean Food Spicy?
Absolutely not.
Korean cuisine uses chili peppers and gochujang in many famous dishes, which is one reason travelers often associate Korean food with heat.
But Korean cooking is much broader than spicy red sauces.
You'll also find soy-based marinades, clear broths, grilled meats, dumplings, noodles, rice dishes and lightly seasoned vegetables.
Don't divide Korean food into only “spicy” and “not spicy.”
Think about the flavor base:
🌶️ Chili-based
🥢 Soy-based
🍲 Broth-based
🔥 Grilled
🥟 Steamed or boiled
Once you know what you're looking for, ordering becomes much easier.
12 Korean Foods to Try If You Can't Handle Spicy Food
Bulgogi is one of the easiest Korean foods for first-time visitors.
Thinly sliced meat is commonly marinated in a sweet-savory soy-based mixture and cooked until tender.
The flavor is more about sweetness, soy, garlic and sesame than chili heat.
Good first choice: Yes — especially if you're nervous about Korean spice levels.
Many versions of Korean galbi use a soy-based marinade with sweet and savory flavors.
It can be an excellent choice for travelers who want Korean BBQ without a spicy sauce.
Tip: marinades vary by restaurant, so ask if you're unsure.
Samgyetang is a whole young chicken cooked in a warm broth, traditionally with ingredients such as glutinous rice, garlic, jujube and ginseng.
It is a completely different experience from Korea's bright-red spicy stews.
Good for: travelers who want a warm, comforting Korean meal without chili heat.
Japchae combines glass noodles with vegetables and often meat in a sweet-savory seasoning.
The sesame and soy flavors make it approachable for many first-time visitors.
Good for: someone who wants noodles but doesn't want a spicy soup.
Korean dumplings can be steamed, boiled or fried and come with different fillings.
Many are mild and make an easy introduction to Korean food.
Watch for: kimchi mandu can contain spicy kimchi, so choose a meat or vegetable filling if you want to minimize heat.
Gimbap is rice and fillings rolled in seaweed.
Common versions can include egg, vegetables, meat and pickled radish.
Basic gimbap is one of the easiest foods to look for when you need a simple meal or snack.
Watch for: varieties labeled with spicy ingredients or kimchi.
Seolleongtang is a milky-looking beef-bone soup known for its gentle flavor.
Salt and other seasonings may be added at the table, allowing you to adjust the taste yourself.
Great choice: when you want something warm without a chili-heavy broth.
Gomtang is another comforting Korean soup built around meat and broth rather than a spicy chili base.
It's particularly useful to remember when red stews aren't your thing.
Tip: spicy condiments may still be served on the side, so add them only if you want them.
Kalguksu means knife-cut noodles and is commonly served in broth.
Many classic versions are mild, warm and filling.
Watch for: spicy regional or restaurant variations do exist, so look at the description before ordering.
Eomuk is Korean fish cake, often served on skewers with warm broth.
It's an excellent alternative when the tteokbokki beside it looks far too red for you.
Good for: an easy street-food experience without starting with something very spicy.
Pajeon is a savory Korean pancake built around green onions and other ingredients.
Many versions are not chili-hot and are easy to share.
Remember: jeon comes in many varieties, so ingredients matter.
Bibimbap can be a great option — but there's one important catch.
The rice and vegetables themselves aren't necessarily spicy.
The heat often comes from gochujang, the red chili paste mixed into the bowl.
Strategy: ask for the gochujang separately or use only a small amount.
Korean Foods to Be Careful With If You Hate Spicy Food
This doesn't mean you should never try these foods.
It means you shouldn't assume they'll be comfortable for your spice tolerance.
🌶️ Tteokbokki
Usually served in a red chili-based sauce and can be surprisingly hot for beginners.
🍲 Kimchi Jjigae
A kimchi-based stew with a flavor profile that can be too spicy for sensitive eaters.
🍲 Sundubu Jjigae
Soft tofu stew is frequently served in a spicy red broth, although variations exist.
🍗 Dakgalbi
Typically cooked with a spicy gochujang-based seasoning.
🍜 Bibim Naengmyeon
The mixed version usually includes a spicy red sauce. Mul naengmyeon is a different broth-based option.
🍜 Ramyeon
Many Korean instant noodles are spicy, sometimes much hotter than first-time visitors expect.
Spice levels vary enormously by restaurant, recipe and product.
A dish that feels mild to one person may be very hot to another.
When spice tolerance matters, ask before ordering.
Does Red Korean Food Always Mean Spicy?
No.
But bright-red sauce is a useful signal that you should check before ordering.
Ingredients such as gochujang and gochugaru are responsible for the red color and heat in many Korean dishes.
However, appearance alone isn't a perfect spice meter.
If the dish is covered in a deep-red sauce and you have very low spice tolerance, don't guess.
Ask.
Is Korean BBQ Spicy?
Korean BBQ can actually be one of the easiest meals for travelers who don't eat spicy food.
Plain grilled meats such as samgyeopsal and moksal aren't inherently spicy.
Many galbi marinades are sweet-savory rather than hot.
The spice often comes from sauces, kimchi or side dishes you choose to eat with the meat.
🥩 Grilled samgyeopsal or moksal
+
🥬 Lettuce
+
🧂 Salt or mild dipping sauce
+
🍚 Rice
Add spicy sauces only after tasting them.
If Korean BBQ is high on your Korea bucket list, see my separate first-timer BBQ guide below.
Do I Have to Eat Kimchi?
No.
Kimchi is an important part of Korean food culture, but you don't have to force yourself to eat something you don't enjoy.
Kimchi also varies greatly in flavor and perceived heat.
Try a small amount if you're curious.
If it's too spicy, move on.
You don't earn extra points for suffering through a dish you don't enjoy.
How to Say “Not Spicy” in Korean
You don't need to speak Korean fluently.
These few phrases can make ordering much easier.
Do you have something that isn't spicy?
Is this spicy?
Please make it not spicy.
Please give me the gochujang separately.
This one, please.
안 매운 거 있어요?
An maeun geo isseoyo?
“Do you have something that isn't spicy?”
How to Order Non-Spicy Food at a Korean Restaurant
The safest strategy is not to order a spicy dish and expect the restaurant to completely transform it.
Instead, start with a dish that is already normally mild.
Choose bulgogi instead of spicy pork.
Choose gomtang or seolleongtang instead of a red stew.
Choose basic gimbap instead of a spicy version.
Choose grilled meat and control the sauces yourself.
This is much easier than ordering a dish whose identity depends on chili seasoning and asking for all the chili to be removed.
Which Non-Spicy Korean Food Should You Try First?
Answer five questions and find an easy first Korean meal for your taste.
1. What sounds best?
2. Do you want soup?
3. How sensitive are you to spicy food?
4. Full meal or quick bite?
5. Want something very beginner-friendly?
7 Mistakes Non-Spicy Eaters Should Avoid in Korea
You'll unnecessarily miss many excellent foods.
If your spice tolerance is low, ask first.
With dishes such as bibimbap, start small when the sauce is served separately.
Plain grilled meat can be one of your easiest Korean meals.
Seolleongtang, gomtang and samgyetang open up an entirely different side of Korean food.
It may be easier to choose a naturally mild dish.
A great Korea trip isn't measured by how much chili you can tolerate.
Non-Spicy Korean Food FAQ
Is all Korean food spicy?
No. Korea has many mild dishes including bulgogi, samgyetang, japchae, mandu, basic gimbap, seolleongtang, gomtang and many grilled meats.
What Korean food should I try if I hate spicy food?
Bulgogi is one of the easiest starting points. Samgyetang, japchae, mandu, gimbap and mild beef soups are also approachable choices.
Is Korean BBQ spicy?
Not necessarily. Plain grilled samgyeopsal and moksal are not inherently spicy. You can control how much spicy sauce or kimchi you add.
Is bibimbap spicy?
It can be, especially after gochujang is mixed into it. If possible, ask for the gochujang separately and add only as much as you want.
Is bulgogi spicy?
Classic bulgogi is generally sweet-savory rather than chili-hot, although recipes and restaurant preparations can vary.
What Korean soups are not spicy?
Seolleongtang, gomtang and samgyetang are useful dishes to remember when you're looking for mild Korean soups.
How do I ask for non-spicy food in Korea?
Try saying “안 매운 거 있어요? — An maeun geo isseoyo?” which means “Do you have something that isn't spicy?”
Continue Your Korean Food Trip
You Don't Have to Love Spicy Food to Love Korean Food
Maybe tteokbokki isn't for you.
Maybe one bite of kimchi is enough.
That's okay.
Order bulgogi.
Try freshly grilled Korean BBQ.
Warm up with samgyetang.
Eat mandu from a market stall.
Share japchae.
Try a bowl of seolleongtang on a cold Seoul morning.
Korean food is much bigger than spicy food.
And once you stop worrying about what you can't eat, you may discover dozens of Korean foods you can't wait to eat again.
Come to Korea hungry — not brave. 🇰🇷❤️
Next: the easiest way to order at Korean restaurants, markets and cafés even if you don't speak Korean.
Comments
Post a Comment